


Pas de deux

by daisherz365



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, balletlock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2017-12-20 12:38:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisherz365/pseuds/daisherz365
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Balletlock From the viewer’s eye this was a beautiful routine, but to the pair performing it was everything that was worth living for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired on Twitter by friends and even more so by the loveliness that is Balletlock on Tumblr and all that comes with that. I think I may be one of the only people who has decided to write a Sherlolly piece and maybe that’s a lot of pressure but the idea has stayed firmly in my mind. Anyways I hope you like it. There is a photoset on Tumblr for this already: [view here](http://sincerelydayyy.tumblr.com/post/54363073383/au-ballet-lock-youre-too-tense-he-muttered). Feel free to take a gander at that. Again, enjoy. Also tell me what you think, it would mean a lot to me.  
> Much love,  
> Day

**un.**

\---

**_(n.)_ ** _is a type of dance for two people, typically a man and a woman. As a dance which is deeply physical but also contains an equality of male and female dancers, it has been seen to symbolize the partnership inherent in love._

**_\---_ **

Molly has always wanted to be a ballerina even when she lacked the grace to be one of the more beautiful ones. She was rather plain in appearance but she had all the heart in the world to do this and anything else she set her mind to. It had never really occurred to her that anything good was waiting for her within this world of pointes and pliés.

From the negative that came with it all, there had been few moments in her ten years of performing where she actually wore a real smile. The first came when she was ten and her mother treated her to a night at the theatre to see the Nut Cracker and then Swan Lake a few years later. Her first dose of this magic realm of ladies in costume who moved with so much fluid movement and grace. The stories of what they were telling through their limbs were something equally extraordinary and something she held dear to her heart now that she was among the young adults who were vying for the key role of these parts.

She had done plenty of waiting in the wings and the background in the more minor of roles, having never to have been considered for the main part. It was bound to make her feel hopeless and downhearted at best, but that isn’t the truth. Molly knows that she isn’t what one would consider for the position of center stage but that has never stopped her from trying to get there. If that means little rest and missteps in the form of too wide of a gap in between pirouettes (turns), grande allegros (large jumps) and fouetes en tournant (continuous turns) it didn’t matter much. There was more riding behind any of this than anyone thought.

She never tried to hide the fact that she didn’t come from money like most of the girls. In fact that had been much of an issue in getting from a lot of the places where the company traveled for several auditions or setups for the actual performances. They were always in places that were further from home. The only reprieve she got was when there was minor meetings where the Madame discussed upcoming opportunities or had a few new instructions for individuals to work on (all dancers were welcomed to come to that, regardless if you were being picked apart or not). Molly was usually one of the last girls remaining to be dissected and it usually ended up with her noting every little thing that she was told she did wrong and then later finding an abandoned area of an underground station. It was usually hard during the day time but by the time Molly got ready to head out on her own to do that, it was late enough that she could find a space even if it was a little small.

Today, something different happened. Today, someone new appeared and the changes begun to happen slowly.

He was all cheekbones and wild dark tresses of black hair. He was lanky but built in a way that made it seem like it was almost impossible for her to be able to move like the other males in the group. However, she learned quickly he was a paradox. It started when he introduced himself, the silky baritone that filtered out of his curved cupid’s bow not only stirred her into actually looking at him – she hadn’t known how to do that ever since he stepped into the room. He feed onto her already present awkwardness. His name was Sherlock Holmes.

_Holmes_. She knew enough about etymology to know that he was much more than he claimed to be and that wasn’t something to laugh at. Not that she really knew how to even begin to speak to him let alone be as bold as so many of the others were when it came to flinging themselves at attractive forms of the opposite sex. He was very nice to look at, she admitted silently as Madame called everyone to attention as she instructed Sherlock to stand anywhere that there was space in the room of fifteen women and four boys.

Molly paid no mind to him or anything else besides the Madame as she begun to discuss the new routine that they were planning to do in a few months at the Grande Summit for Ballet. It was a very huge deal and for the first time there would be a _pas de deux_. There was usually just one male lead or one female lead, there wasn’t both ever before. This was going to be interesting for whoever got it.

You couldn’t just pair two people up and expect them to make it perfect. It would take more than skill, there would have to be a connection. A strong one if there were any hope for anything good to happen.

After the announcement everyone broke off to leave or discuss it together. There would be more structure in the next meeting a few days. Madame usually gave big news one day and went straight into it after an hour of stretching and warming up but this was bigger than any of the previous performances.

Molly opted to go seeing as there really wasn’t anyone that she wanted to talk to or rather no one wanted to talk to her really. Or at least she thought so, as she turned to go over to the corner where she placed her things before warm up, she was stopped by the newest addition. “You aren’t even going to try are you?” He asked her quietly as she apologized and excused herself to quickly get her things as the other girls stopped talking and gave her the look that was supposed to make her cower, instead she slipped on her hoodie and answered him.

“I always try.” She gave him a brief smile before leaving, her headphones quickly being placed in her ears as she took the steps two at a time. A sigh leaving her lips as she looked up into the cloudy sky.  She pressed play on her mp3 player and slipped out into the bustling night, pulling her flimsy pull over a bit tighter around her as she tucked her hands into her pockets along with the small device.

If she chose to close her eyes and walk she was sure to fall into someone but it would have been easy to just lose herself in the sound of the chilling violins as they flowed into a sweet symphony that spoke more volumes to her than any words that could be said. The steps that ached to flow out of her own person were quickly being played over and over in her head. Just a little longer, and she could just let it be real.

He was in the forefront of her mind for a little while. The images of him and her moving in unison and sometimes apart. It was a new experience having that. She never really thought of others in that way. Well, that wasn’t entirely true but it had never been to the extent of what she was imagining. She berated herself once she was at the platform that followed the train station where she stayed for a few hours each day. This is where she practiced.

Tonight however, she was just going to try to piece together what she had been envisioning before her vision was clouded by something more dramatic. She concluded that that’s what he was more than anything. She only knew his name and that he knew straight away that she doubted herself when it came to the other more exquisite dancers. It didn’t matter, she told herself as she slipped off her coat, she shivered as her neck felt the cool air that came with slipping off that layer. Her long sleeves on her sweatshirt came to her elbows, however it matter little once she began to move.

It would take her a few minutes to get her limbs to work the way she needed to them to but afterwards she smiled at how easy it was to be who she wanted to be when there weren’t too many eyes viewing her. There were people around who were gazing at her as she playing her mother’s composition from the small speaker she kept in her bag so that she wouldn’t get tangled in her ear buds as she moved. It was nice to have an audience at times, she had accepted this a couple years ago when she found the closed off space of the side corner where not too many people lurked.

She kept on moving until the song ended and only then she let out a sigh of relief. It felt good to get that out of her system. She smiled politely at the few who had stepped around to get a glimpse at her craft. They spoke words of encouragement to her to do more; to entertain them.

Molly didn’t think they understood that this wasn’t just for the sake of performing. This was so much more than that. However, she compiled after switched the song to a more up tempo piece that an acquaintance of hers had put together for her a few months ago when she lacked the muse to produce the movements she needed to land one of the biggest of roles in a production of Swan Lake. There was a bit of jazz in this routine, actually. She didn’t completely stay to the art of ballet always. Sometimes she just moved as the music spoke to her and some would say that was a risk.

That’s what she needed sometimes even if no one ever saw it.

She failed to see the pair of cold blue eyes that gazed from the pillar from the far left. A small spew of smoke lifted to the air from a cigarette in the man’s mouth. His face held an expression of both surprise and curiosity at the display. Molly missed all of that, and when she went to leave with a couple bills from her audience she missed his departure as well.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never thought people would really latch on this idea too much but, here we are with another update. I hope it's not too disappointing haha. Enjoy. <3 day

deux;

 

\--

 

 

 

It was customary for Molly to find herself a few nights out of the week when she wasn’t at the studio, or attending classes to be in the company of her mother. They spent ample time together, discussing finances mostly (if they were stable for the month, whether something would have to be pushed back) along with recent news in the form of Molly and her dancing. That was all there ever was to talk about these days, but she could admit that it was nice to have anyone to talk about even if it was her own mom. It was a great comfort to have that at least.

They were having dinner tonight. It wasn’t always something that happened but when it did they were both truly grateful to have whatever it was. Tonight, they were eating beef stew with a few broken pieces of French bread and a little bit of merlot though Molly didn’t divulge it in all that much. She stayed to the one glass the entire night as they spoke little and watch a little telly.

It was only as Molly grew tired and thought it was best if she headed up to the cot she used whenever she stayed over that her mother finally asked about what happened at the studio a few days ago. There had been talk even in the suburbs about this new person who had arrived. Molly smiled a little. “He goes by Sherlock. I haven’t seen him dance yet but I think he is probably better than Jeremy or Miles. I don’t really know yet. Madame has decided to do a pas de deux for the next production.” She let out a sigh, as she saw the way her mother was looking at her.

Her eyes lost their light just a smidge at the mention of the dance. It wasn’t that her mother doubted her, she just knew that Molly would work her butt off to try to get it and there was a bigger chance that it wouldn’t follow through. “It’s more about how I work with someone else and whether they complement me. It’s not about me singularly so, it might be okay this time.”

Her mom gave her hand a firm squeeze and a peck on the cheek before gesturing for her to go on up. She needed to get some rest after today. She had work in the morning and then another practice with the company later in the day. It was going to be a busy day.

 

His eyes roamed over all of the potentials – candidates for what he knew would be the performance that was to die for (pun intended to a point), who stood to the side being rather obvious over their admiration of himself and his form. He wasn’t an idiot. He could feel the way they obviously wanted to make a grab for him and set a scene that was rather unwanted, and annoying. He kept a close eye on the one who was doing her damn hardest not to stare at him. Instead was whispering counts that were barely readable on the small set of her lips, her toes moving slightly as she recounted a routine in his head. Her eyes were closed slightly, one hand holding onto the bar while the other settled at her side. She was slightly smaller than the rest and he had talked to her before. At the last meeting when he made his introduction.

He hadn’t been in this place in about a week but others had come and go. He could smell it in the air. He did ignore it as he focused a bit on the way Hooper – he had seen the name on the little tag that was attached to her bag in the corner when she came in, eyes held a look of calm confidence as she fully opened them. There was resolve there that wasn’t there before. The question was: would it follow through?

His eyes flitted away from her when he noticed that she felt his eyes still trained on her and made her way to look over at him. He looked ahead just as the Madam made her appearance, finally. They were going to be partnering up, today. He could see the look of certain distaste at having to see awkward bodies tumbling alongside each other in pairs. He too, felt a headache coming on.

 

Molly felt uneasy. Her hands getting sweaty as Miles came into step next to her. He was to be her partner and though she had known him for a number of years since being accepted into the company, she could feel the lack there of excitement rolling off her him to be partnered with her. It didn’t exactly bother her much for he wasn’t someone she enjoyed being around in general. Having to dance with him was something she was not looking forward to in the slightest but she didn’t comment on it. However, many exclamations of protest were being made by others when it came to their own partnerships. Molly stood silently watching the way the other ladies glared at Liv Masters, who was nearly always picked as the main for most productions. She had been paired with Sherlock.

His face was blank, she noticed when it came to the way the blonde sidled up next to him with the confidence to match what one would probably see from a starlet who knew she was brilliant at her craft. Molly knew that that’s how the woman felt, entirely and to be picked again to partner with someone who was probably as close to her equal as anything else well it was perfect. Perfection was an art that Molly couldn’t say she knew much about. There were several amounts of issues with her when it came to her own craft and how she felt inside about her person.

It didn’t entirely matter however as it didn’t really matter how she felt about anything unless it translated into the way she landed each move – hopefully there was a little grace to it and her clumsiness didn’t slip into her art. It was a rather agonizing hour of pairs cursing their partners under their breath or just ultimately giving up because none of this worked. It wasn’t permanent but everyone was here because they enjoyed how graceful and precise everything was supposed to be. This was a disaster, really.

Molly had seen that more than anybody for she had several bruises from the lack of stability in her own partner. Miles was a good dancer but he like her falter when it came to other areas. She apologized to him one last time as the meeting was called to an end and Molly rushed over to get her things so that she could go. There were a few matters she needed to take care of before she made her way back home and truthfully, she just wanted to get away from the tense air that seemed to surround this room more than ever.

It was going to be a rough couple months. That much was certain.

As she walked out of the room, Molly pulled her hair out of the makeshift bun she had it in for practices and made her way over to the side of the long walkway that circled around in square that flitted by the other rooms that were being used or weren’t being used at this point. Glass flitted around the area, the view was nice outside. You could see the night life from up there and Molly more than wanted to breathe it in tonight.

She needed a small break and if she rearranged a few things, perhaps she would have it before having a nice soak at home. She had to pick up a few items for food too. She was rather eager to go on home though, this was a rather disappointing day but looking at this view gave her a little happiness. However, it didn’t last for too long as she turned to leave a few moments later.

Molly gasped as she turned around to head down the steps and was completely taken off guard by the appearance of Sherlock Holmes who had a cigarette in his mouth. It was unlit but Molly had the urge to reach up and snatch it out of his long fingers as he pulled out a lighter. It was a bad habit, but she hated how much she also felt it suited his demeanor. He wore a coat that fit his figure nicely and hid the fact that he was still in his clothes from practice, except he had put on a pair of trainers and slipped on some pants. He still looked as disheveled as he always looked with his hair and odd expressions.

That’s right, he hadn’t been looking at her at first but now he was. He blinked for a moment, lighting his cigarette before speaking to her. “It’s longer than I thought.” Molly looked at him, clearly confused about what he was talking about and trying not to seem perturbed by the fact that she didn’t exactly enjoy smoking. It made her feel very uncomfortable which was his entire existence entirely when in correlation to Molly. “Sorry?” She pulled her bag more securely around her shoulder.

“Your hair. It’s constrained by the pins and the ribbon you use to hold it in place for these annoying meetings. It’s longer than I imagined.”

If the idea of him merely invading her space with his smoking and defined form albeit slightly concealed wasn’t enough for her already, then the way his hand reached out and slid a few strands of her wavy tresses into his fingers was worse. He didn’t stay too close for too long. “It’s nice, and you should probably soak your ankle, you took quite the nasty fall today.”

Then he was gone taking his smoke and curious eyes with him. It donned on her after a few moments of breathing like any normal person should that he had actually been watching her today when he was in the company of someone far more graceful. Was that supposed to mean anything? She didn’t know but she found herself smiling just a little as she took the steps down and found herself in the city where everything was slightly more exciting.

Molly Hooper was an honest young woman, and the only excitement she needed was that little moment with Sherlock Holmes. Though she’d be lying if she didn’t wish for more. He was exquisite and well beyond the realm of tangible, but she liked to try to grasp it all if given the chance. Molly Hooper was all about taking chances.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not even sure what to even put here but just know there are a lot of hints in this chapter for what lies throughout the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy it. P.S. Thanks for all the feedback. I really mean that, even if I haven’t answered any of it yet. I’m currently working like crazy (every day) and about to start work on my novel for NanoWriMo soon. So, I apologize if you don’t see another chapter for a month or so. I’m going to be a bit busy, unfortunately but know this is going to be on my mind for some time! Please let me know what you think. Much love, Day

**trois** ;

_\--_

_Pain._

It wasn’t something uncommon in the world of dancing or in the world in general. However, every person had their limit and today Molly might have been pushed a little too far. She hadn’t stumbled or fallen in the streets or tripped over the foot of a jealous peer. She didn’t experience that ever in her life time. There were things that happened that you had to brush off sometimes. This wasn’t exactly one of them. In lieu of it all you could say Molly was probably stronger than her abuser gave her credit for.

Which was why she wasn’t in some dingy place crying over her sorrows before coming home. Instead she was sitting in her bedroom in the small flat that she had for herself near her mother’s place. She didn’t often find herself here but she stayed here enough to warrant the need for payment (rent). It was only in dire times of duress that she let herself climb the five stories of stairs up to the tiny abode she called a dwelling.

Unlike at her mother’s place she had a mattress for a bed and a small night stand where she put her most precious items. Things like her laptop that had been given to her by a family friend who knew her since she was a child (“Everyone needs a form of communication”, she said). Molly didn’t have a mobile. It would have probably made things slightly easier but she didn’t have the income as is to afford one so she went without. Something she couldn’t go without was a signal to use the net, so she managed a small chunk of money to make sure that always was on. Especially in times like this when she needed something to make her smile.

There she sat with her feet which were both wore from the hellish predicament she found herself in just hours ago, in a small wash bin – like the ones used in hospitals. The water wasn’t as clean as it once was before but she hadn’t expected much of that. It was also lukewarm in temperature but she didn’t mind. It dulled the ache of what felt like she had been running on a field of rocks. The story behind it was probably something that should have terrified her but in reality made her almost wish she could have done something different about it.

At the end of it there was a small glimmer of light in the fear and pain that she had felt for the past couple hours. There was an ally that surprised her almost as much as the brutality. Her only regret was declining his offer to get her home safely. One handsome man that she had been curious about since he stepped into the room of the company’s practice; Sherlock Holmes.

If she were to be truthful it wasn’t as gruesome as she supposed it to be. Except when it came to the tearing of flesh that currently resting in the bin on the floor. She had thought it was a mugging originally but it turned out to be more than that. To put it more adequate words, a message had been sent from a very familiar adversary. That person was also one of the reasons why Molly chose to decline Sherlock’s offer. For every single bit of mysterious entanglement that she found herself in when it came to the dancer in him, there was a much more pressing part of her own life that she wished not to bring to the surface.

Everyone had their secrets and hers happened to equal such gruesome details as three men a shaded alley on the backstreets further away from any kind of sanctuary that she hoped to get and a tool that was closer to grater than anything else.

Molly had been dealing with things like this ever since her father’s death but she hadn’t told a soul about it. It made her feel troubled knowing that someone like Sherlock had now gotten himself mixed up in it, but she promised that she would have to let him know that he had to stay as far away from her outside of the company at all costs. It did not matter that this was something she had a great aversion to.

It was just one of those missteps in the grand schemes of things that she found absolutely necessary. Which is why three days later when she found herself able to walk on her feet again and to dance, she met him again at practice. They were to start the process of seeing who was good with whom today. Not as messy as the last time when they paired up. This time it was just certain pairs.

Molly nearly thanked her stars when she wasn’t among the group that was going to attempt into this foray. Her feet might have looked better but she couldn’t say that she would be as graceful as she had hoped in their current condition. She had stayed home for the most part. She only went out for classes and to work which incidentally didn’t have her on her feet too much. Though she explained to her boss that she couldn’t be on her feet too long. She claimed it to be an accident while practicing on her own. It was a lie and she still hadn’t felt good about it but she couldn’t exactly go with the truth now could she? She didn’t think it would help matters much. It did prove to be fruitful and she succeeded and doing what she had to.

Sherlock was among the group for the day and as Molly watched him pair against several of her peer ballerinas she could see he wasn’t exactly into it though he had done a superb job of making everyone else (every other male) look dimmer with his footwork. Many giggles of appreciation were made and though Molly definitely appreciated him she was more focused on the lack of care in his focus as he took a seat a few paces away from her much to the disgruntlement of the several young women.

Molly pretended to not care much about it. She sat there quietly as she always did while she watched the others pair off and attempt the more rigorous routines. There were many lifts and leaps in these and while few faltered there were some very strong performances that she took note of mentally. She wasn’t a competitive person really but it was good to see how others squared up in comparison. This also was something she rarely considered doing for she didn’t think she was a good comparison when it came to how much better they were. She had plenty of room to improve on.

Her focus begun to slacken a small amount as time begun to lessen in what was left of this session. Her muscles hurt little from lack of use. She wasn’t used to not doing much when here which meant she would probably do something later to improve it. This was not why she grew wary however, Sherlock had inched a few centimeters closer to her however neither one of them had turned to gaze at each other. That would be more attention to either of them than either could hope to gain; at least Molly thought so.

Sherlock on the other hand had been watching her incrementally throughout the entire session. He still couldn’t figure out what it was that had him automatically drawn to her person. It probably didn’t help as much that he had practically saved her life just three days ago and she had just pretended like it was nothing. He expected her to do something rash. Not like a random declaration of some kind – he didn’t think she could. She was a very silent and closed off person but not in the same why he knew he was. She wasn’t cold, she had a warmness about her that he imagined not many saw. What he didn’t know was that it was something she also saw in him at certain times. Mostly when he was dancing and completely letting himself go with it which wasn’t something that happened often.

He didn’t do anything as he sat there beside her. He was done for the day as far as dancing went. He was just hoping all of this was over so that he could leave and have a smoke, possibly. He felt rather anxious just sitting there but he found gazing at Molly’s attentiveness was awfully fascinating. He had picked off certain things about her already that he was sure most of the people in this very room had no idea about. It was something of a hobby of his when he wasn’t here or dodging the inquiries of his parents (or parent really seeing as he didn’t talk to his dad anymore), and also his older brother who may have forced him into this in his own way.

She was this new phenomenon to him and that was why (he thought so at least) that he was speaking to her as lowly as he could. His mouth was nearly pressed against her ear as he spoke but he cared little about it. What was privacy? What was space? These were things that he didn’t deem entirely important especially if he wanted to get into the head of someone that he didn’t exactly know. Someone he could want to know.

“You’re not going to bring it up.”

Molly didn’t move but he saw the way she flinched a little open hearing his voice. He moved his head back slowly watching her, waiting for her to reply. She didn’t. She acted as if he hadn’t spoken. At least for all of ten minutes and then she was turning towards him with an unreadable expression on her face and he stood up and she did shortly after the others begun to move around. He noticed she did that whenever they were among their fellow ballet friends (he said friends but…), she just stopped moving as if she was frightened of what they would do if she appeared to do anything in the slightest that made it seem like she was trying to be better at them in one way. The only way that it seems she was better at; conversing with him.

He didn’t know if that was entirely true. They had a total of three semi-private interactions before and all of them seemed odd except the second one where they were outside of this room and he stepped up behind her accidentally in the corridor near the stairs. This one probably wouldn’t count much as a pleasant one either by the looks of it but he found himself almost anticipating whatever it was. She was a mystery to him. Unlike Liv whom flaunted herself at any given opportunity in her own way, Molly was less telling.

“I would prefer it if you didn’t try to associate yourself with me outside of this environment.”

He blinked, Sherlock was confused. That was not what he was expecting her to say. He swallowed a moment as he tried to figure another way to go around this. He found one small loop hole that he had decided to use for a later time, he decided to use it now seeing as this was his only option to keep her in his sights. He wanted to do that, he also came to the conclusion of just then. “Meet me in the room next door tomorrow at five-thirty.”

Molly opened her mouth to talk but he leaned towards her slightly watching as her eyes grew an inch in diameter as he closed their proximity just a bit. “Don’t be late,” with that said he turned around, slipping over his shoulder and walked away.

 Molly blinked for a moment before looking around the room to see that it was completely vacant of anyone else. She let out a sigh before stepping out the room. She didn’t understand what he wanted with her. She had already told him that it wasn’t a great idea for him to be around her outside of this place.

Oh. Stupid. She berated herself silently. She didn’t know if she understood it completely but Sherlock had been playing very close attention to what she said and had known exactly what he wanted to do. The question still was running through her head as she donned her coat and slowly made her way down the steps to the exit.

What was he trying to do…with her?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter. It begins to get a bit steamy. ;) Let me know what you think. <3 day

\- quatre - 

It was in the silence that Molly found it easier to think about everything that had happened in the past couple hours. From the moment she woke up to her few hours of working, and then meeting with Sherlock. That might have been the more important piece of the day. At least as far as anything that wasn’t normal happening to her. She could also say that every moment since she first laid eyes on the man was an odd occurrence. He had so many interwoven places in her life and she couldn’t fathom as to how it started or if it would ever end. Does she even want it to?

She isn’t sure but as she stands under the warm jets of her shower head to wash away all the sweat and dirt that had collected from her hard day of work she thinks about it and her mind slips away from her. She knew a few things about Sherlock Holmes.

For one he was the kind of man her mother used to warn her about. Those eloquent ones who looked rather rough around the edges. She had seen him move with so much grace that it was hard for her to listen too much of anything that anyone said. He was an enigma all on his own. His body a work of art, that she wouldn't mind grasping for the briefest of seconds and today for some time she had the opportunity to do such a thing. It was still hard for her to belief, it made her smile a little to have that bragging right. She wouldn’t discuss it with anyone.

It wasn’t even supposed to happen in the first place. She hadn’t wanted to, but how could she say no to his request when he was clearly trying to go along with her idea that they not meet outside of the building where they danced as separate beings just next door as they worked on developing a rhythm in order to attempt to get a place on the center stage as the lead or in the gallows of the back where one might support whomever had the opportunity to be chosen as a lead.

Molly hadn’t have told him, for she could tell that he had known that she had wanted to be on center stage for once because this wasn’t just about dancing it was something much more for her. It was about getting out of the pit that her father had dug their family into and finding a way out and he had found that out on his own, much to her distaste.

She arrived at the large building, taking to look up towards the windows to try to see if she could find the room that she knew she was going up to. Not many looked to be occupied, she kept on looking for a flutter of movement on the floor but she didn’t see much going on. It didn’t give her much hope for him actually showing up but why wouldn’t he? He had been the one to tell her to come. It would be stupid of him to just flake on her like that. She had heard of worse happening to other girls who had it much easier and didn’t have the weight of their whole world riding on their passion following through. Basically people who didn’t understand ballet or dancing in the slightest. It was at a time like this that she wondered if it would have been easier if she hadn’t fallen in love with the craft so much.

She smiled a little as she pushed open the door and saw the portraits of other famous ballerinas showing their love for the world to see in different positions and she realized the answer. It had always been the same. She couldn’t give it up. No matter what. Even if by some miracle something happened to expose her dangerous dealings outside of it, it wouldn’t stop her. She would risk her life to keep up this life even when she was broke afterwards. It’s what made her happy.

Molly moved up the stairs looking out into the outside world as she slowly began to mentally prepare herself for this as if it was practice. Perhaps, that’s all it would be. The two of them dancing. It would probably calm her nerves to know that it was that simple. Nothing had ever been so simple so she couldn’t fully grasp the idea of it also being as so. Instead she found herself in the interesting position of seeking out her partner in this tryst all around her.

It didn’t really help much as when she finally arrived at the door, she did see the light was on but she could hear no music. Nor could she see anyone. She went inside after looking out into the halls to see if she could spy anyone or perhaps her illustrious dancing companion. Alas, nothing. Molly took a few steps inside being careful to not walk to hard as her feet still felt stingy after the events that led to her worry of yesterday when she might have had to dance in front of everyone when she wasn’t her best. She didn’t one hundred percent sure that she was capable of showing her best now either and there was no one there to see it.

Except there was. When she stepped fully in the room she saw him. He was over in the north eastern corner of the room seeming to listen to something on his mp3 player or iPod. She couldn’t fully tell which it was as he had his back turned to her but he looked to enjoy whatever it was he was listening to. She didn’t move any further upon finding him there. She was stuck to her spot at seeing in such a position. He looked almost at peace as his head moved from side to side. His mouth opening and closing as he muttered to himself. He could be listening to a song with lyrics, or he could be counting beats. It was unclear to her for a few seconds.

It was as if he had realized that she had been there watching him all this time. He took one of the earphones out of his ear and flicked over the screen as he addressed her, never looking up to view her fully. “Miss Hooper.”

Molly didn’t trust herself so say anything of important so she merely moved away from the door. She didn’t want to give him the idea that she might back out of the room. She went over to the bar that was identical to the one that was in the room next door. It was the same, she knew. They used most of the same equipment, it only varied depending on which style you were working with. Most of the rooms on this floor were strictly for ballet however. She set her bag on the ground and unbuttoned her coat before turning around to him. He had moved from his position in the corner over to the table that was in the front of the room. She hadn’t noticed that anything was on it at first. However, now she could see the small dock that was near the center of the edge of it. He had placed his music player in it.

It was a moment like this that Molly wished she was wearing pants, she liked to shove her hands in her pocket when she was nervous. It was a habit of hers, she couldn’t do it here however as she was dressed in a leotard, a dance skirt that feel a little shy of her knees and her ballet shoes. Her hair was pinned up in the customary bun that it usually was in whenever she was dancing within these walls. It was easier to move when you felt a bit freer, and it just worked better. Though she had worn dresses before when out and about of the town at social functions that she was expected to go to with other ballerinas. That was different though.

She blinked as she felt him draw closer to her. “Sit.” He remarked once he was standing in front of her. She gave him a blank look as he reached a hand out to push her down and she quickly complied with his request. “What are you doing?” She asked.

“I just need to check something.” He remarked as he begun to undo her right shoe as if it was a ribbon on a present. He eased the slipper off her foot with much more care than she could say she did when she had put it on earlier. She had been rushing at time. He moved closer to her leg then, extending her leg on his as he tilted his head to the side. He was inspecting her foot. That made a lot more sense now. It was clear that he had wanted to be sure that this was still a good idea given the fact that she had been recently injured. Smart, she thought after he placed her leg back in her own space and handed her back her shoe before standing up. He moved over to the dock on the table while she went about putting her show back on and tying the ribbon back in the way it had been before he so delicately had unraveled it.

She imagined he knew how to unravel a lot of things. She kept her comments to herself as she heard the sound of a piece begin and felt his hand on her wrist. She looked up at him in shock.

He had yanked her up rather quickly, eager to get on with it already. Molly had to admit it was very enthralling to see that he was just as ready for this to get a move on as she was. She bit her tongue as she stumbled after him and made her way into the center where he let her go.

She had opened her mouth to ask him what he wanted her to do – she was used to instruction when in a situation like this. She begun to pay attention to the music that was playing through the room as she heard the door shut. The sound of an up tempo violin piece reached her ears and she was soon literally splayed against him. The black cloth of fabric of his shirt that was covering his chest seemed to stretch along with the tendrils of muscle as his icy blue orbs trained on her, trying to see if she understood yet what he was trying to do. "You're too tense." He muttered as his hand which began to trail down her spine landed at her hip.

Molly wasn't really lost here, but she didn't want to take a misstep or do something completely out of line, something he wouldn’t like. He was being her guide at this point and what muddle her brain was the heat that came along with the way he molded his fingers around her. He was winding her up in the most liberating way. She had half a mind to tell him to stop but that wasn't what she wanted. 

For the first time in her life - her mother would probably be shouting several obscenities right now about this, she was going to attempt to take what she wanted. She took in a deep breath trying to release some of the tension as he so sweetly put it out of her system before she spoke to him quietly. Her eyes moved up to his. "I always am, I don't want to screw up. Do you think you could help me with that?" 

"It would be my pleasure." His silky baritone rumbled from his chest as he let go of her for a moment and came around her. Molly craned her neck to see what he was doing but he turned her head back around. "Relax." His breath fanned against her exposed neck. She hadn’t relaxed the first time she tried to do it on her own. She supposed she needed a little more guidance on the matter. He was perfect for that. Molly shut her eyes and breathed in for a moment, letting it out shortly after. 

"Let's begin." His tone elicited a bit of pleasure in this it seemed and Molly had to keep herself from appearing giddy at this prospect, but she wanted this. She wanted to feel his hand on her again and again and she wanted to touch him, and hold onto him until there was nothing left but one huge explosion of euphoria. She knew she had wanted it the moment she had laid eyes on him and when he seemed to latch onto her after that. It was just a matter of how to go about doing it in his own way he was giving her a small push in the right direction to possibly figuring out how to make it all possible. She had hopes anyway.

For the better part of the next hour and a half, Sherlock spent ample time giving her instructions on how to make her body land more striking marks after landing a move near perfectly. It was his decision to stop it after that time because he didn’t want her to strain herself. He hadn’t exactly said that but he had kept looking at her feet and she had a feeling it wasn’t just because he was trying to watch her pointes. He didn’t want to push her too hard, right now. She knew that wouldn’t always be the case.

He couldn’t have gotten to the point that he had in his dancing without working his butt off. She was confident of that. Did he train before in all the great places? France, Italy, New York. Where had had it started for him she wondered.

As they sat drinking their respective bottles of water Molly decided to ask him about it. “How long have you been dancing?”

It must have taken him by surprise for her to project her voice at such a level because he flinched a little as he fiddled with his phone by the table. “Uh, oh, since I was a child. Why are you asking?”

“I’ve never seen one who can dance the way you do.”

Sherlock turned his head towards her a smirked. Molly just watched him as he continued to look at her as if he had never heard such high praise before. She was sure he was brilliant at most things he did. Though it did make her wonder what exactly did he do when he wasn’t dancing or smoking. She remembered seeing him with that cigarette before. She was only grateful he didn’t say anything that made it seem like he didn’t believe her. He held himself higher than most people she had meet and she knew he was even a little cocky about it.

He ignored all the other men in class who tried to par with him on the scale of genius that he had already presented upon his introduction. He blanked until it was his turn to shine and shine he did. Molly admired for how readily he was. It must have shown on her face for he was questioning her then. “What?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. This was fun. Thank you.”

Sherlock seemed to find something amusing about that statement for he went back to his phone but spoke to her quietly. “This was only the beginning, Molly. You show a lot of promise, I’m sure you’ll change your mind in a few weeks’ time.”

“About what?” She said as she used the bar so that she could stand.

“Everything that you think you’re sure about right now. It could change in a single instant. Nothing is ever certain.”

There was something about this moment with him that made her want to be braver and bolder and though they didn’t know each other personally, not really anyhow she felt like she could tell him anything or make inquiries. She chose the latter. “Yet you are certain.”

It wasn’t a question but he seemed to take it as such. He tucked his phone in his pocket and walked over to her. “About you? You have no idea. About everything else, well I guess you’ll just have to come out and see that for yourself if you choose to.” He paused a brief moment, taking to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he whispered, “Have a good evening, Miss Hooper.” Then he had whipped up his coat and left her there.

She felt shaky, even now in her small shower. She turned off the stream and grabbed her towel stepping out. She could still feel his warm breath panning over her skin and the way his hand had curved around her cheek merely brushing it as he went to push her hair back in place.

Molly wanted to ask him more questions. This is what she meant about him. He left you with more questions than any answers. She began to brush her hair out with the thought that in her own way she probably knew a little more about him than most people. Most of the girls who want to sink their nails into him and take him for all they wanted. She had a feeling he didn’t just ask girls to meet him alone in a vacant hallway that is usually full of people coming and going from dancing courses with some of the world’s greatest instructors in the world. It was with that thought she felt like this day had been better than any day before.

It was the start of everything as he had mentioned. It was the start of the change.

If that was a good thing or not, well time would only tell. She was sure of that.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short(ish) and very different than the other ones so far. 
> 
> [enter familiar faces]
> 
> Hope you like it. Thanks so much for the love you guys, and sorry for the wait – madness surrounds me and I’ve been a little busy bee working on too many things and finishing so little except little things on [the tumblr](http://sincerelydayyy.tumblr.com). Haha so sorry! 
> 
> much love,
> 
> day

\- cinq –

 

There was something Sherlock realized by watching Molly Hooper so much over the few weeks that they had been spending time together – and the times when she didn’t even know he was there (at the platforms, when she’s milling about around town, sometimes at work). She liked routine. She liked being able to know where and when things were going to happen and for it to go accordingly. He knew that he was making a huge difference within this routine by meeting with her every other day alone to work on her dancing but it wasn’t everything that he wanted to do. Especially with her.

It took him a little while to figure out why he wanted to help her. Why he even cared. His brother was keeping tabs on him and had yet to make an inquiry about it, but he knew that he was aware was going on at least at some extent. He would deal with it if he had to, but for now he was being as careful as he could. Careful not to make this into something more than it was; she wasn’t making it exactly easy on him, not even a little bit.

He could see it in her eyes when she tried not to look at him. She was very interested in him but she wasn’t like Liv or Madison, or any of the other women who had practically tripped over their feet trying to get his attention. She was patient and unassuming and he found himself drawn to her for not even this reason alone, but it did give him a reason for doing what he decided to do today when he meet her for their private session. It was the thirteenth one thus far.

Molly was sitting down under the bar with her jacket slung over her shoulders as she chewed on a pen cap and took down notes on a little notepad while looking very focused on the text that she had in front of her. Her legs were bent so that she wouldn’t have to look down too much. It was a much more relaxed version of the woman he had gotten to see at work over the last month. He had known she had been going to school still, he was not. He knew she worked at a hospital and held a position that many probably would not be itching to do – it was tedious lab work but she seemed to be okay with. He had research her in waves. He liked to find things out on his own by surveying people if they peeked his interest but she wasn’t all that forthcoming with anything.

He did know she was in some trouble – see the time he took out three heavily armed and muscled men when he discovered her being tortured on a side street in a very bad part of town. A part of town he hadn’t ever expected to see her in. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when he gave her a proposition that she agreed to by meeting him and here he was again, processing more so he could figure out what else he felt he wanted to do.

Currently he wanted to forget about improving the way her pointes and pirouettes fell and wanted to try something different. Something she probably wasn’t going to like but he didn’t just stop at a “no way”, he was a very persuasive person.

He took a few more steps towards her and crouched down. She didn’t even look up at him at first but as she tucked closer into herself and her hand stopped writing he knew that she was aware of her surroundings. She just wasn’t overly vocal about it, thankfully. “Molly.” He called.

“Yes?” She asked as she bit her lips. He could see the wall her eyes flitted over the text but she didn’t look to be entirely all that into it anymore. He took that as a good thing. He needed her to focus in order for this to work.

“Would you look at me while I’m talking? I don’t like being ignored.”

She sighed, licking her lips as she sat up a little better and looked up at him. Her hair wasn’t in the bun it was usually into. The pins were gone and her hair was just in a long knot at the back of neck and the bangs fell over in her eyes. She took a moment to sweep them away so that she could seem him clearly as she said, “I’m not ignoring you, Sherlock. I was working.”

“What are you working on?” He seemed genuinely interested but Molly herself didn’t know why. She could probably assess this moment a hundred times later but she didn’t think it would matter because he was an enigma. One that she had enjoyed being around three days out of the week that didn’t involve a group of other women and men who stared at him like love sick puppies (not all of them but most, there were glares too).

“Notes, I have an exam in a couple of days.”

“Take a break.” He tells her, serious faced and everything. She blinks.

“Obviously, I was just waiting on you to get here. You’re late.” She gave him a coy smile that didn’t exactly mean anything but he knew she was toying with him.

Huh, that’s interesting.

“Yes, well I had other matters to attend to before making my way here. One which I could use your help with.” He stood up and turned around for a moment and begun to walk away before turning back to her. “Coming?”

“What? Sherlock, you know that I only came here for one thing.”

“That is called a lie, Miss Hooper.” He strolls back over to her and bends down until his mouth is near her ear, he tilts his head a fraction so that he could see her eyes as he whispers. “You’re not exactly subtle but no matter. I think we need a little air from this place. It’s a bit stuffy and it’s not like we won’t be dancing exactly.”

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“That’s the beauty of it.” He sits back waiting as she seems to uncurl a bit with his proximity distanced once again. Her eyes losing their cloudy look as she closes her book. “You don’t know. Besides I have to get you out of a routine. It’s boring, and it’ll be fun. I promise.”

“Sherlock we had a deal.”

He shook his head, a grin slipping onto his face. He was amused by this. “I tweaked it a bit at least for today. If you don’t like it, we can come back here next time. Deal?”

Somehow Molly felt like he would say anything to get her out of this room. In a certain light she was curious as to where he was planning to take her and what they were going to do but at the same time there was a list of reasons why she told him that she wanted him to leave her alone outside of this building. He had been a smartass and decided that he could work with that.

“Are you sure this isn’t about something else, Sherlock? You’re not exactly the type to show your feelings.” He frowned at that. She was right, of course but she didn’t need to know that right now. Admittedly, he hadn’t had the best day but that didn’t mean that that had anything to do with that, right? No. No. No. There was no way of that.

“I’ve know you for a month Molly and while I find you different I don’t think today is the day we start blurting out our deepest secrets. Besides, you wouldn’t even dare do it with me. This is about me wanting to take a break. Don’t you ever want to take a break, Molly? Surely this can’t be everything for you…” He trailed off and stared at her. He watched how she looked quickly down to hide her face from view.

He hit a nerve.

_Stupid move, Holmes._ He berated himself before speaking quickly and quietly. “My apologies, of course I know this matters to you. You wouldn’t be working so hard if it wasn’t. Regardless, I need you to trust me on this and believe that this does pertain to what you’re trying to work to. I think you’ll find it might give you more inspiration.” He finished.

Molly stared at him in amazement. How did he do that? One second he was composed and confident then he falters when something isn’t going the way he wanted (a misstep) then he just goes back into it as if nothing happened. He is persistent, she’ll give him that.

“How long will this take?”

“Not too long.” He helps her gather her things, stuffing them into her bag, handing it to her as she gets up and tosses on her larger coat. It’s an old thing but he thinks it works for her. Most things work for her than wouldn’t on other people that he had met in passing and not.

Molly tries once more to get him to just stay here but he quickly takes her by the shoulder and ushers out of the room as if she hadn’t said a word.

They end up walking to a skate park only a few blocks away. Molly doesn’t recognize it though. There are several groups of people surrounding the place and she looks up at Sherlock in bewilderment. What could that be doing here? What could pertain to dancing that could be found here?

“Trust me.” He tells her before grabbing her hand, causing her to gasp at the sudden gesture as he pulls her along ignoring her reaction to it as he weaves them from the entrance towards the center of the chaos where a group of kids much younger than either of them are skating but that not what has her looking at Sherlock again. In the center of it all there is another group of children who ages varies from toddlers to early adulthood. They are moving around in a formation that isn’t any kind of dancing that she’s ever seen before.

She knows what street dancing is – she even did it for a while but upon closer inspection she sees this is even different than that. That’s a thing about it, dancing in general. It’s hard to quantify genres in the art. While some were easy to simplify sometimes things could be incorporated and it be seen as something different. Something new.

This was definitely something new. It wasn’t even the fact that this was group of kids who like her looked to have troubles in their lives (she could see it in their clothes and their state of grooming) but like her they seemed to find happiness in this. “What is this, exactly?”

“They don’t have a name exactly, but the kid with the curls in the center is a bit of genius for his age. I meet him in one of underground spots where I used to hide out.”

“Hide from what?”

Before Sherlock could dignify her with an answer they were interrupted with a boy who was much closer to their age. His hair was cut in a shifty fashion and he had facial hair that wasn’t completely off putting. “Mister Holmes, come to steal our moves again?”

“I was observing Billy, I told you that.”

“Documenting, more likely.” He huffed but he grinned when he trained his eyes on Molly who smiled politely. “You’ve brought a lady? Is she your girlfriend?”

Sherlock scoffed, while Molly looked startled. “No.” He answered, completely forgetting he had a hold on Molly’s hand and dropping it.

“Then you won’t mind if I take her for a twirl will you? She won’t see anything from there.” Billy took a skateboard that was leaning against the side and moving quickly up towards them and taking Molly’s hand as he jumped off of it taking her off guard as he took her bag from her and sitting it to the side. Molly looked at her bag for a moment before she was completely wrapped up into a dance that she couldn’t say she was exactly prepared for. It involved no ballet and was strictly in the moment.

It took her a few moments to get a grip and follow his lead while also finding her own groove in between the others who were following Billy’s lead. Molly realized as he took up her hand again and pulled her against his chest that he was more boney that was customary for someone his height. Had he been eating? She stayed puzzled long after he thanked her for “roughing it” with him.

Sherlock had found his way to them by the end of it and everyone was hooting with cheers for her first attempt into the fray of their group. “Perhaps you’d like to do it again another time when you don’t have a friend along?”

“If I could manage to find my way back here…possibly.” She nodded. It was fun for her. She was a bit clumsy about it at first but she had found her step by following and doing what she did when no one was around. It was liberating to not be restricted so much. She wondered if that’s why Sherlock said they would be taking a break.

“Or we could show you how it’s actually done in a professional capacity.” Sherlock mused as he grabbed Molly’s hand and pulled her flush against him and smiling down at her. She laughed as everyone moved towards the sides to give them room.

“We don’t have music?”

“You weren’t dancing to music a second ago, Molly.” He told her. She hadn’t even noticed, what she was dancing too then.

“Oh.” Before she could even thinking to say anything else he had bent her back into a dip that was far too low on concrete but she took that as the first step and followed through pushing him back up and reaching up and moving to playfully kick his leg and he jumped back but she continued on her trot in his direction and leaped over in him in a flip motion that he seemed to catch onto as he moved around her pulling her towards him. His feet were moving but she couldn’t bear to look at them when she was feeling other movements resonating within her when she was this close to him.

Sherlock seem to pick up on that and finished them off quickly with one last twirl and a dip that ended with him pulling her quickly back against him, back to his chest. Then he stepped back.

“Bravo!” One of the younger girls shouted and the rest of the roared. Molly couldn’t say that wasn’t her finest work but she had enjoyed dancing with him without him telling her what to do. They just moved and it felt beautiful.

Molly hadn’t realized it at the time but someone had been filming them. Nor had Sherlock, he had his focus on the moment.

Billy and another boy rushed over to them. “You’re welcome to come back anytime Mister Holmes as long as you bring your beautiful friend. She livens the place up a bit.” Billy winked at her.

Molly just laughed. They were charmers that was for sure. The young boy pulled at Sherlock’s pants leg and he bent down to talk him quietly. Molly didn’t bother with what they were saying, they were trying to have private moment. Sherlock seemed to be very invested in this too as he didn’t even realize Molly had moved away to get her bag until he had finished talking, and giving the boy something.

“We can come back another day.” Sherlock told her when they got ready to leave after watching the kids for a little longer. “If you feel like you want to have another _break_.”

“I was still dancing so I don’t know if I would call that a break, Sherlock.” She mused as they began walking again. They didn’t go in the direction of the dance company’s building. Instead they were going a completely different direction and Molly didn’t realize until they stopped where they ended up.

Her building.

She opened her mouth to ask him how he knew where she lived but he seemed to have another idea. “We can pick up where we left off next time, and before you ask I disregard your will for me not to see when you’re not dancing with me or with the Madam.” She can tell he’s about to say something else but Molly cuts him off.

“Why would you do that? Sherlock you know how I feel about that.”

“I don’t understand why.” His voice is sharp and she recoils a little but doesn’t answer him, taking a beat to think it over before standing on her toes and giving him a quick peck on his cheek. He takes her arm and sticks something in her pocket before she runs into the building. “Take this, just in case I need to cancel or you need to.”

He seems unfazed by her gesture, but that doesn’t keep her from thanking him. “It was a nice dance. Thank you.” She gives him a smile before dashing up the steps and out of his view.

Sherlock face slacks a little as he looks up at the building trying to see where she is. She lives only a few floors up. He thinks about waiting for the light to come on but moves on, he touches his cheek fleetly with a small smile on his face before letting out a sigh and stuffing his hands in his pocket.

He hears his phone ding in his pocket but he ignores it. Whoever it is can wait.

He has to shake off the feeling he gets every time he pulls her against him, and moves in the way that he knows is acceptable at least in some way.  He thinks about France, and knows that he can’t make another mistake again.

The cold feels nice against his hot skin.

**1 unread message**

**From JB**

**Mycroft wants me to track someone you’ve been seen with. Is it necessary? You’re not getting any trouble are you? Let’s meet up. Get back to me. Soon.**

 


	6. Chapter 6

Six;

Molly was exhausted. The week of exams plus her few shifts at the lab. She had little actual rest on her hands. The slight drag of her feet at this point when she had just made it to her door. She loathes how easy her keys tumble from her grasp and she is forced to bend down and pick them up before hurriedly letting herself back in.

She tries to revel in the slight reprieve of being off her feet but unfortunately someone doesn’t want her to relax. Whether that be some higher power (she remembers the discussions on Sundays with her mom), or just the universe not giving her a break. She had the severe inclination to tell whomever it was to bugger off. Her rent was paid, she wasn’t in the mood for sales of any kind though why anyone would try to sale her a cookie when she lived in such a shit of a place she had no idea. She was through for the day and she wanted some silence and peace.

After the third spaced out rap against the door, she pushed herself to her feet again. Ignoring them obviously wasn’t going to work. Not that she wouldn’t have eventually gotten up and opened the door to speak with this intruder on her peace. She just was being extremely slow about it.

“Alright, I’m coming.” She finally shouted as another knock began.

She was in the habit of being cautious and therefore the fact that the door had no peephole to look through, she unbolted it and cracked it slightly to have a look at her visitor. It took her only three blinks to get thoroughly shocked and open the door.

“Sherlock, what are you…what happened to you?” She clamored for the right words in this moment. Sherlock did look like himself but at the same time he looked a lot less than himself. He had quite the black and blue aura about him in both physical appearance and the way he slouched against her doorframe.

“Are you going to invite me in?” He growls instead of anything close to telling her what happened to his face or any of the other places that she couldn’t see due to clothing covering most of him.

She looked back inside ever cautious. She had never had anyone over before. Not even boyfriends or lovers as few as they came. She had no qualms about saying that she wasn’t well off in any way, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t ashamed of the state that she lived in. She ought to not feel that way but the man standing in front of her was of a different breed entirely. She was sure that he had come from better.

“Oh for Christ’s sake. I’ve slept in worse. _Move_.” He grumbled. He hated having to wait for people to act. Especially over such little things. Molly’s living situation wasn’t a new thing to him. Nor did it affect his feelings about her. What jumbled of that there was.

Molly practically yelped as Sherlock bum rushed his way in and limped over to her couch falling into the cushions. Molly watched him try to get comfortable on it. “The cot is probably better.” Sherlock looked over at the small cushion sitting under the window. He quickly dismissed it as he was already on the couch. So much effort required.

“How long have you been here?”

“Long enough. How was the test?”

Molly sighed, walking over to him. He had his eyes closed but she had a feeling he knew where she was. “Are we just going to ignore the fact that you’re injured and have found your way into my building…?”

“It’s not that difficult to get in.”

“You need a key.”

“Ha.” He scoffed. It was nothing compared to the upscale places that he had snuck into for his other activities.

Molly tried hard not to roll her eyes or push him off the couch for being condescending in that way that he did after first brushing off the fact that she lived in a shithole then laughing about it a few moments later. “I could kick you out, you know?”

His curls bounce as he shakes his head at her. “You won’t. You’re too curious.”

“Curious?”

“How did I get in, she said. Why am I limping, she wants to know. What happened since yesterday when I last saw you…the list goes on and on. It’s all rather annoying really if you must know.”

Molly perched herself on the arm of the couch above his head. Folding her arms as she looked down at him. After he got whatever he wanted to spew at her off his chest perhaps she’d go get her first aid and do what she could for him. Not before. He was right, she needed details.

“Go on…” She says quietly.

“It’s simple. I got into a fight.”

Molly looks down at him. She knows he would probably want her to prod on about why that happened but at this point she doesn’t know if she wants to know. She’s worried not entirely about the fact that he got into a fight but about him. He gets hurt and the first thing he does is slum it down to her place. It’s confusing as to why.

“Molly?” His eyes are opened and she moves out of the room, quickly. She hadn’t even noticed. She had lost herself for a bit there. She goes for her first aid which is in her bedroom where she left it the last time she used it on her feet. She opens it to see what is in there – what she can use, what she will have to improvise. She grabs a few things from the bathroom before returning to the couch.

“What?” She asks as he seems to be both irritated with her for running off and then too for ignoring his inquisitive gaze he’s throwing at her. She sees it, but she’s choosing to ignore it. She’s worried about him.

“I ran into those thugs again.”

She is pressing a cotton ball doused in rubbing alcohol at his brow where there is a large cut. He winces just barely but continues to watch her as she tends to him. This was not why he came here though it had crossed his mind that she would want to fix him. She’s trying to be a doctor. Not this kind but very still. She is good at this.

“I don’t know…” She starts after she’s just about cleaned his face up.

“Yes, you do. You’re not an idiot, Molly Hooper.”

“I’m well aware of what I am. I’m not sure about you though.”

His brows furrow slightly.

Molly thought it was best to clarify since she had the absolute ability to befuddle him. She’s done it plenty times now not that she exactly understands how she does it. It’s not like she’s the clever one. She does have the skill of mumbling and not wanting to talk sometimes. It’s odd that the latter seems to be something he also has but for reasons she is blinded to.

As much of things that she has learned about him by their minimal interactions in and out of practice (with the Madam and privately) there was a lot that she was still trying to figure out. One of those things was fairly obvious but he didn’t seem to fully see it. He picked and chose what he wanted to see and address anything else needed to be ushered upon him. He was a bit like a child that way. A very skilled child it were.

“You’ve done too much for me. I don’t mean the practicing because that’s probably little in comparison to what little time that you choose to spend on me in your life. You’re trying to grasp at other aspect at my life and I don’t fully get it. You don’t have to do that and I don’t want you to. I’ve explicitly told you that too. Yet, you ignore it.”

“I ignore it because I genuinely can help but you refuse my help.”

“I have my reasons…” She sighs getting up to toss the used bloody medical gauzes away.

“Give me one and I’ll stop meddling.”

It was Molly’s turn to laugh. She didn’t know him at all really but she was sure of one thing: reasons were not enough for him to completely stop from doing something. Not even a good one. She had a feeling that reasons were also labeled as excuses in his head and therefore didn’t mean anything to him.

She stopped after a few seconds. “Just stop, Sherlock. It’s really simple. You don’t have to make things worse for yourself by involving yourself. Look at what’s happened because you tried to look on your own even when you know how I feel about it.” She gestures wildly at home.

He struggles to get into a half sitting position as he looks at her. She doesn’t miss the frustration in his movements as he finally manages what he was trying to do. “I don’t help people, I think you should know this. I don’t involve myself with people unless I see something worth getting in trouble like this for.” Sherlock stopped himself from continuing on that line of thought. He almost gave her almost too much. She was already stricken by the idea that his helping her got him hurt like this.

Molly eyes were watering and she didn’t know how to stop it. This was so stupid. She was genuinely in awe of the levels he was willing to go to do things for her but that didn’t stop her hesitation to give a little. When her dad died this fell on her. Not because it shouldn’t have fallen on her mother but because she was powerless to allow it fall that way. Her mother couldn’t keep a job and she had been there for the years that they struggled without her father there. She was willing to keep it on her rather than involve anyone else. It didn’t matter that it was Sherlock.

She had a plan. It would probably fail but she wasn’t about giving up. Everything about her life had given her the resolve to never let anything make her crumble.

Sherlock could see the discord in her and for the life of him he wanted to push her into the direction that she just told him when he needed to know. He was also of the influence that sometimes secrets needed to be kept. He had a long list of them that he was keeping to himself (half of which his brother was privy to).

“Would it make you feel better if I told you I’m only trying to make it easier on you so that someone else won’t try to butt in for reasons that aren’t entirely likeable?”

“What?” She gasped. “What are you on about?”

He thought about the text message that he had gotten. It was about time he responded to it. He needed that person to assist him and not go for the other party. It seemed like a better alternative at this point. She would be able to trust him. He was of a different breed. He was likeable.

Sherlock knew that Molly didn’t hate him, quite the opposite actually if the concern that kept flittering on and off her face was anything. He thought it was. He kept trying to shove it back on the shelf but she wasn’t making any of this exactly easy with all her rules and conflictions.

If she didn’t feel comfortable with him then maybe **he** would do. He wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of the two of them interacting at all but perhaps it was necessary at least for now.

“Someone else wants to get involved. Someone who is aware of your problem and knows all the facts but he won’t tell me. It’s his way of being protective.” Sherlock chuckled, darkly.

By the look on her face he gathered that that did not comfort her at all. Good, she should never be comforted by anyone wasn’t directly someone she knew or wanted to know. Especially the people he knew and loathed with every fiber of his being.

It took her a few moments of contemplation but Molly seemed to find confidence in something. “What do you know, Sherlock?”

He sighed. His fingers were padding against his kneecaps as he started talking. “Your father owed some debts. Rather large debts to a fairly difficult set of people. We both know who, regardless since your father died they’ve started pestering you to fulfill the debt after all not all debts die with a man. Not with these people. I’m not entirely clear on how much but it must be enough that they are willing to do anything to get it paid in the end. You don’t get much working but after paying your own bills – you don’t touch your mothers though, odd. Moving on… you give the rest to them. It’s not enough but you don’t feel you have any other choice. _You always have a choice_.” He tries to stress that to her but she isn’t having any of it.

“Sherlock…”

“I’m not finished…” He stops her.  “Your mother didn’t stop you from taking your father’s place. She cares from a distance and while I have many qualms about that, I understand what a mother’s love can do from a distance.” He coughs, before continuing on.

Molly tries not to smile. It’s obvious from that statement alone that his parents try to be in his life but she also doesn’t see that being easy for him to really want them to be. He’s very much the independent sort. As she learning by his little habits of going to places that most people who don’t look for that kind of thing dare go. She gets that. She spends a lot of time in Underground. He goes farther than that. What she does is nothing in comparison but it’s good for her.

“So here we are again with me pushing you into a small hole of aid and yet again you’re trying to push me out.”

“I’m grateful…” Molly starts, “I’m grateful that you defy so many odds, even ones I try to throw at you. You have the influence of yourself and I guess it’s rare for you to take an interest. I’m not anything special, I’m sure you can see that but I can’t ask you to do anything more about this trouble. It’s for me to work through.”

Sherlock licks his lips. He takes a deep breath, nodding.

He thinks about leaving. The light is dimming outside and he feels like he’s lost today. There isn’t much else he can do here. He even starts to get to his feet only for Molly to nudge him back down until he’s lying down. “You’re in no condition to leave. You need to rest.”

“I’ve done all I’ve come here for.” He tries to push against her hands. She only swats his hands away as if this is all incredibly normal. She had already mentioned that it wasn’t. She was one twisted conundrum.

“Now that’s not true either, Sherlock Holmes.” She mumbled returning to something he had said to her weeks before. He stills himself in this moment as he watches her walk out of view.

Huh. This was all really very odd to him. How quickly she could go from near hysterics over a huge problem to wanting him to stay over wasn’t anything he could process readily. Not when they were practically closed in together in this place; her home.

While she is out Sherlock grabs for his mobile. Opening the unanswered text from one ‘JB’.

He types:

**_I may need your expertise. Don’t involve MH. You owe me a favor. – SH_ **

He stows it back in his pocket despite the small beep he gets from the speedy reply from one of his oldest friends. When Molly comes back in he asks the same question he asked when he pushed his way in her space, “How was the test?”

She doesn’t know why he’s come back to that. She’s mentioned her classes before so it isn’t entirely unfound that he is curious about that. She decides it’s a safe topic.

“It was alright. Was that your phone beeping when I came back into the room?”

He lifts his shoulders. “Not important.”

Molly didn’t believe that but nodded to let him believe that she did. She was nearly done with asking her questions for the night. Except one?

“Are you hurt anywhere else?”

He just stares at her.

“Yes…” He trails off.

She bends down to pull him up as he’s resumed his laying down position. “A shower might help.” Is the only thing she says but by the look on Sherlock’s face he does indeed think she’s gone absolutely mad.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think Sherlock is in the habit of buggering off even when people want him to so I don't think we have to worry too much about that. Also, we will get to meet 'JB' soon. He'll be hanging around for awhile.   
> I hope you guys liked this chapter. I've been a bit out of the Sherlolly writing - not sure why really because I'm still shipping them strong and hard. A better homecoming, I hope.   
> Let me know what you think!  
> <3  
> day


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